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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pop — music
  4. mark — a trace
  5. kick — in football
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pop — to visit
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pop — soda
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. content — the amount
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. content — happy
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. foot — a measure

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com